Musing on pattern loves and dislikes...... - YouLookFab Forum

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Musing on pattern loves and dislikes......

nancylee

Veteran

Angie's recent blog post on color and pattern overload got me thinking about pattern and what types of patterns I love and why. I noticed that I haven't been wearing certain patterned items this summer, while I gladly reach for others. I've never really thought much about what types of patterns really get me excited, so I decided to lay my patterned pieces out and do some assessing. Photos #1-5 show the patterns I love. Photo #6 shows the patterns I've fallen out of love with and just don't feel like me anymore.

#1 - Abstract patterns
#2 - Whimsical animals (birds/peacocks) and an abstract botanical (?)
#3 - Geometric patterns
#4 - Tribal patterns
#5 - Animal print (I'm not a big animal print fan...this snakeskin dress is my only piece)
#6 - Hmm? Whimsical floral? Whatever the case, I'm just not feeling these patterns

This was a fun exercise. I can really see elements of my color palette (blues, oranges, brown, black and white) in these pieces, which give me hope that I'm honing my style.

Any insights or observations are welcome. I especially need help categorizing the items in #2 and #6. And I'd love to see YOUR pattern loves!

Dressing

17 replies

Latest reply was from

Anonymous

Hmmm. I guess the blue and white top in #2 is a different animal (pun intended) from it's mates in the photo. The patterns in #6 look like a version of a Hawaiian print to me.

So the only ones that aren't you anymore are #6? I'm wondering how old these items are, just out of curiosity. They don't look dated to me, but do you feel like they are?

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

This was a good exercise for me to observe your patterns. I was drawn to your geometrics and I think you are honing in on your style and color, because the black, orange and white show up here. It's funny what you say about animal prints, because I would love to get a shirt or blouse, and then whenever I try one on, it doesn't seem to work. I love your snakeskin dress in #5 and now I think it may have to do with the smaller print. You've done some outstanding excavating with these photos.

nancylee

Veteran

Haha! Thanks, Claire.

Hawaiian print might be a good description for the items in #6....or maybe Boca Raton! They are perfectly decent pieces and actually aren't that old (all of them within the past 5 years), but I think maybe it's my style that's shifted.

lyn67

Veteran

I love all your prints from 1-5:-)-have several almost the same.(except those in nr. 2, but I also like them!). What I can see in nr 6 is that you have fallen out of loving multicolourred big scale florals-and it's so so interresting but they are also not on my liking. I think they look a bit dated.
These days, I mostly feel exclusively loving mono-, bi- or maximum tri-chromatic geometrical, or abstract patterns a lot. If bi- or tri-chromatic then has to contain 1, or 2 neutrals, too:-)
Maybe a colourfull splash of watercolours would be the only one exception from this rule.

christieanne

Veteran

The patterns in #6 do seem more ALGO - more color mix in the fabric and the prints are pretty bold at that. Style does shift so 3 out of 20 plus isn't bad.

Your post just made me realize why I don't love to buy patterns - I am afraid of falling out of love with them. I suppose "practical" me has thought solid meant it would wear longer - not really true though. I did just pick up 5 patterned, non black and white, tops which has doubled my print collection. Pretty proud of that although all were inexpensive/sale items and if I tire of them. I won't feel guilt.

ManidipaM

Veteran

Interesting post! personally I find it hard to reject or embrace wholesale --- for instance, I find there are florals I like (botanical, brushstrokes, traditional Indian styles) and those I can't stand (anything sketchy or outlined often gets the boot, but I do like Liberty prints so that's weird)

Joy

Veteran

As Lynn said, the prints in #6 seem to have more and brighter colors in large prints compared to those you like. Those in #2 are a more all-over pattern with fewer colors so don't seem as busy to the eye.
My favorite patterns are architectual and leaf patterns, but color still plays a major part.
You've done an intersting exercise. I'll have to try laying out my favorites like you have done to see what it tells me.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

The patterns in #6 are larger scale and more delineated, for want of a better term.

I really love your geometrics. Very drawn to those. I also love the snakeskin dress and I'll bet it looks wonderful on you.

It seems you are going towards a more sophisticated, arty or "euro" look with the preferred ones, vs. your more "boho" side. The boho is still there, but in a more muted fashion (the tribals).

nancylee

Veteran

Great insights, vicki, lyn, christieanne, Manidipam, and Joy. It was a very fun and instructive exercise.

Suz, it's interesting that you picked up on my shift toward more sophisticated, arty styles and away from the heavily boho style. I was just thinking about this today, and I really do think my long love affair with boho style is dimming a bit. Just last night I was browsing online and put two boho style shirts into my "basket" only to remove them an hour later. Hmm. Change is in the air.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Over at Imogen's blog I remember a series of posts about patterns and personality. It was interesting reading. http://www.insideoutstyleblog......terns.html

HelenInCanada

Veteran

It's such an intuitive, weird thing - liking or not a pattern. Sometimes it's hard to say why something is not speaking to you, or even repulses you, but there it is! I feel that way about paisley. Ugh! Hate, hate hate. Also, very bold leopard or cheetah prints. So not me. Yet certain other animal prints, like a 'modified' zebra or peacock prints, I like. Not super crazy about polka dots - but it depends on size of dots and colors. I had to donate a skirt from IZOD (?) which fit like a glove but the pattern was starting to make me feel super self conscious and dated. It was a graphic black and white, but the black/white ratio or something about it just looked too dowdy. Normally I love graphic black/white. Huh. Excuse my meanderings!

Jonesy

Veteran

It's very interesting. I totally agree with you on the last batch of prints. They seem less sophisticated or something, or maybe dated somehow? Just not as fab as all of the others, which seem more modern and interesting to my eye. So fascinating how our perceptions of prints can change so much.

Anonymous

I really admire your ability to zero in on what it is you're moving away from. Sometimes I think it's the print of the blouse I no longer like, but then I'm unsure about the color, too. Or is it the ruffles that are bothering me? Ugh. No wonder I'm unwilling to lay out some serious coin until I can figure out what it is that I like/don't like!

nancylee

Veteran

Jonesy and Helen, prints are very subjective, aren't they? And our opinion can change so much over time.

Thanks for the link, Mo!

Claire, this ability to discern what I'm moving away from is a very recently acquired (and still developing) skill! For me, visually separating pieces into categories seems to work. When I group things together I can see common themes better than when they're all mixed together in my closet. (I also spent many years as an editor, so I'm good at zeroing in on problems....haha!) Never fear, at the rate you're playing with fashion you'll have your style honed in record time.

cheryl

Veteran

This was a great post. Such an interesting read. I like all of these including the ones you no longer care for but I am a fan of busy, lol.

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Oooh, I am a total print fan. I love all the prints especially the blue and white bird, black and white crosses, and blue and white snakeskin. The ones in #6 look the most dated, I think because (like you said) it's kind of "Boca Raton"--feels like something your grandma in Florida might pick. The large tropical prints in dark muted colors, it just doesn't feel as fresh especially when everything right now is brightly colored.

I really like how you laid out all your prints together. What a great exercise. I should analyze mine too, but really that's my whole closet, LOL! I am a little worried about what people are saying about prints dating faster than solids, because I really like prints and most of my outfits include at least one pattern.

You're on a roll with the thought-provoking posts, Nancy!

Anonymous

Thanks for responding to me! There are so many variables, aren't there? I think it helps that you have enough of each type of print to divide them into groups. I will ride on your veteran coattails Nancylee. Thanks for forging the way!